How Tempo Supports Ebike Advocacy

3/14/2024
Your answer to bike theft.
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Tempo supports organizations that advocate for electric bikes, electric bike riders, and cycling in general. Communities and governments play an important role in the experience of cycling, cyclist safety, regulation of ebikes, and subsidies for ebikes and bike use. National and local bike advocacy groups, environmental groups, and community organizations work hard every day to make it possible, safe, and fun for us to ride our ebikes everywhere we want to go. 

At this stage of Tempo’s growth, we actively engage with several national bike-related non-profit organizations, through financial sponsorship, discounts on Tempo services, direct collaboration, and participation by Tempo staff in events and advocacy efforts. They are:

People for Bikes is both an advocate for cyclists and for the bicycle industry, focused on expanding bicycle infrastructure, like bike lanes, expanding participation in cycling, and working at all levels of government on pro-cycling policies, including safety regulations for electric bikes. Tempo is a Corporate Member of People for Bikes and a sponsor of and participant in their major events. 

The League of American Bicyclists was originally founded in 1880 and has since advocated for the interest of cyclists across the country, including better roads, better bicycle safety, and better bicycle riding education. Tempo is a corporate supporter of The League and League members get $25 off their first year of Tempo membership. 

Bike Index is the premier bicycle registry, with 1.2 million bikes registered, and having assisted in the recovery of over 13,000 stolen bicycles. All Tempo app users can easily register their bike with Bike Index and easily report to Bike Index if the bike is stolen, doubling the odds that it will be recovered. 

The National Bicycle Dealers Association is an alliance of independent bicycle dealers, primarily local small businesses, selling and servicing bicycles, including electric bikes, in cities and towns across the United States. For all the new technologies that have come to cycling over the years, including electric motors, traditional bicycle retail plays a crucial role in preserving expertise, access to products and services, and community ties wherever cyclists ride. Tempo is an Affiliate Member of the NBDA, participating in ebike-related programs for bike dealers, and helping bike dealers grow their electric bike businesses.

As Tempo grows, so will our support for the important changes that only advocates, communities, and governments can make to help ebike ownership be more widespread, safe, affordable, and enjoyable. If your organization would like to collaborate with Tempo, contact us a partnerships@hellotempo.com

When our family bought an electric cargo bike earlier this year, one of my biggest fears was that this lovely and expensive new machine was going to get stolen. So I got the best lock money could buy, and I started to investigate: did I need ebike insurance?

First, I called my homeowners insurance provider to see if they would cover the bike if it were stolen. To my surprise, because it’s an electric bike, not only did my policy not cover it, they wouldn’t even add it for an additional fee or sell me a separate policy for it, the way they did for our family car.

Instead they referred me to an insurance company that specializes in bikes and ebikes. I bought a policy from them and sleep a little better for it.

I’ve heard similar stories from other ebike owners. And I’ve heard worse.

What can happen without ebike insurance

The saddest stories are the ones where someone assumed their homeowners or renters or car insurance covered their ebike, and after it was stolen or seriously damaged, it turned out it wasn’t covered.

And then there are the stories about people whose ebikes were covered by their homeowners policy, but their premium went way up when they made a claim for a stolen ebike.

Why it’s hard to insure an ebike

When it comes to insurance, ebikes land in a gray area outside standard homeowners insurance and auto insurance. Here’s why:

  • Ebikes are new in terms of the insurance industry. Most of the several million ebikes in the U.S. were purchased in the last two years. Insurers aren’t familiar with them, and insurers don’t like to be surprised by unfamiliar products.
  • Ebikes are more expensive than regular bikes. Policies that cover bikes, like most homeowners or renters policies, might have also covered ebikes until the insurer had to pay much larger claims than they expected to replace a damaged or stolen ebike. See above about insurers and surprise. So some policy terms got changed.
  • Finally, ebikes get stolen a lot, and not only from people’s homes. They are ridden and locked up outside all over the place, which makes them more vulnerable than other valuable household items.

Steps to take to properly insure your ebike

The odds that your ebike is covered by your existing insurance is lower than you may think. Here’s what to do to find out if you need ebike insurance:

  1. Call your insurance company and find out what they cover. Things to bring up: coverage of accidental damage, theft, and travel (like what would happen if you flew somewhere with your bike and the airline did a number on it). Does the insurance company consider your ebike a “luxury item”? If you’re happy with the coverage, great! You’re good to go.
  2. Consider bike-specific coverage. If you aren’t covered, or feel like the coverage you do have isn’t enough, here are some things to think about.

Bike insurance covers all kinds of bike specific things, not just theft. Think damage to the bike from a collision, medical payments if you are injured in a collision, insurance for the bike if you are traveling with it or racing it, or a bike rental while your bike is being repaired. Some policies even cover things like accessories (like bike lights and panniers) and riding clothes.

Bike claims won’t affect your other insurance premium. Should you need to make a claim on your ebike, your home insurance premium won’t change or get canceled.

We can help

Want to learn more about ebike insurance? Join Tempo and get easy access to insurance quotes, and other ways to protect your ebike right inside the app.

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Michael Keating
Founder & CEO
Your answer to bike theft.
Join Tempo